Water Softener Reviews

As essential as water is to our daily needs, making up over 70% of most living organisms, it sure does have a problem staying pure so we can use and drink it. Most water coming from the tap has dissolved within itself a host of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, which we ingest in small amounts daily in unpurified water. These hard water deposits are harmless in small amounts when ingested, but in large amounts can be harmful. One might additionally have allergies to the minerals in hard water, or be irritated by showering in it.

Hard water mineral deposits are also responsible for most of the soap scum and mildew that you see on the walls of your shower and the deposits that accrue in your bathroom sink in cracks and attached to fixtures. In order to transition from hard water to soft water, that is, water that has a lower concentration of these minerals, you'll need a water softener. The quality of your water softener determines how often you'll need to replace the filters and screens or do other maintenance. Its important to do a little research into water softener reviews before choosing your selection, and our site has the best reviews around by qualified professionals.

That's why our website is dedicated to providing quality water softener reviews. There are three main types of water softeners: ion-exchange resins, lime softeners, and chelating agents.

Ion-Exchange Resins

These are very popular in commercial applications and are very effective. Ion-exchange resins usually contain charged Sodium ions which, when a different material passes through them, exchange themselves out for the hard water molecules in a simple process. The resin eventually needs to be replaced, but this is one of the most effective ways to soften water.

The major downside of most ion-exchange resins is that they tend to release a lot of sodium, the basis of most salts, into the water stream. There is little effect on taste and sodium tends not to build up into deposits, however for people on low sodium diets or with health issues related to sodium intake, you may wish to choose a different ion-exchange resin device which uses hydrogen or potassium.

Lime Softening

Lime softening was first used to combat pollution in the Thames river. The process is simple: a lime filter is added to the water source, which goes through several reactions with carbon dioxide the water, eventually bonding to the hard elements of water and removing them.

One of the major benefits of lime softening is that it tends to kill microorganisms effectively, and removes a number of pollutants, like arsenic, radium, manganese and iron. Lime softening is best used when water is heavily polluted, and can be combined with other methods to help remove the lime itself after the lime softening process occurs. Check out our water softener reviews to find if if lime softening is for you.

Chelating Agents

Chelating agents are a chemical additive to water that usually is only added when Ion-Exchange Resins are not adequate to the task. Using simple chemicals like citric acid, chelates bond to dangerous heavy metals like arsenic and radium which can be toxic. For most people, however, chelating agents are not required to soften home water. If you find toxic heavy metals in your water, however, you should check out our water softener reviews to find the best ways to filter them.

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